Unless you have ties to this state, it's difficult to understand exactly what win No. 12 meant for the University of Alabama.

From a national perspective, this was merely a final, expected step toward a much-anticipated showdown with Florida for a spot in the BCS title game. And as important as next weekend's date at the Georgia Dome will be to the Crimson Tide's season, to those closest to this program, it can't mean any more than Saturday's thorough rout of Auburn.

Yes, it was dominance. This was more lopsided than any Iron Bowl in 46 years, a game that was never all that close. One gets the feeling that Alabama and Auburn could play 10 more times and the result wouldn't be all that different.

How did that happen so quickly?

Now, I wouldn't call the performance stunning. Not any more. Watching all 12 of these victories, I've long moved past an overdue realization that Alabama could very well wind up playing for a national title this season.

But I am consistently surprised by the level at which the Crimson Tide has consistently whipped teams -- especially up front -- en route to a first unbeaten regular season since 1994. Honestly, the theme to this season has been empty seats ... in Atlanta, Fayetteville, Athens, Knoxville or in the visitors section of Bryant-Denny Stadium, which was the case yesterday.

I predicted Alabama to beat Auburn. Fairly handily, too. But still ... 36-0 ... against Auburn ... in the Iron Bowl ...

From this point on, Nick Saban's team is playing with house money. Fans would, of course, delight in an SEC title and a spot in the BCS national game, but that really would be gravy to a magical season that no one -- including those closest to this program -- realistically expected.

This Tide has earned the opportunity to play for it all with two games remaining. And although Florida is playing awfully well and will certainly be favored in Atlanta, it is tough to pick against Alabama after everything we've seen this year.

GAME COVERAGE

- Let's start off with my game story from Tuscaloosa in today's Press-Register. ...

"It would have felt good just to get a win," senior safety Rashad Johnson said, "but to dominate the way we did and beat them without giving up any points, I definitely think we made a statement by coming out and letting them know that we were focused and not looking past this game.

"This is the most important game, regardless of what we have next week."

As much as Auburn looked to be on solid footing a year ago, the gap appears to be ever wider today.

Even with a No. 1 national ranking, the Crimson Tide couldn't really claim to be the top program in the state until "The Streak" was over. Now that that's taken care of, there are bigger goals on the horizon.

- Tommy Hicks' sidebar focuses on the fumbles that killed Auburn's slim chances early in the second half.

- ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach thinks Alabama has what it takes to topple Florida next weekend. ...

Nothing will be more gratifying for Alabama than beating the Gators on Saturday night. The winner of the SEC championship game is all but guaranteed a spot in the Jan. 8 BCS Championship Game in South Florida, where it will probably play a Big 12 team for the national title.

- Columnist Cecil Hurt, fresh off a trip to Maui, sums up a big win for Alabama for the Tuscaloosa News.

- The Tide is relishing the underdog role against the Gators, writes Chris Low of ESPN.com. ...

"They're a lot flashier than us," said Alabama's 365-pound nose tackle, Terrence Cody, who looked more like his old self Saturday after spraining his MCL against Ole Miss on Oct. 11. "We don't care about being flashy. We're just going to do what we've done all year to win games."

- Birmingham News columnist Kevin Scarbinsky predicts that Tuberville will return. But not everyone will ...

``If I didn't think I couldn't do it, I'd be the first one to tell the Auburn people," Tuberville said, remaining positive despite doubling his negatives. ``It's hard to take what we went through this year, but sometimes it makes you even hungrier when you go through something like this.

``We might've needed a setback. We might have needed to have a readjustment because we've been awfully good for a long time. But it won't take that much for us to turn it around."

It's expected to take staff changes beyond hiring a new offensive coordinator.

THE BIG NUMBERS

1

Penalties for Alabama against Auburn -- a false start against Mike Johnson on third-and-short that Tide players contested and Nick Saban bemoaned after the game as a "turnover" because it helped kill a drive.

57

Rushing yards for Auburn, 89 below its average in the past six Iron Bowls.

234

Rushing yards for Alabama, more than double its 112-yard high mark in any of the previous six Iron Bowls.

6.1

Average yards gained per play by the Tide.

0

Times that Auburn penetrated Alabama's 20-yard line.

GAME BALLS

RT Drew Davis
Saturday represented a change, albeit a subtle one, for Alabama's offense. Instead of running to the left side of the line, as has been the case so many times this year, the Tide instead veered right a lot against the Tigers. On Glen Coffee's 41-yard touchdown run, he was essentially untouched as he raced down the right sideline. Any of Alabama's five offensive linemen are deserving of this space, but Davis gets the nod today, both for an outstanding game against Auburn and the fact that his position has been a recurring sore spot against the Tigers in recent years. This time, Alabama is the one that exploited a mismatch on the right side of the offensive line, repeatedly pounding Auburn for big games. And Davis, the only new starter on the line this year, deserves applause for his contributions this year.

DE Bobby Greenwood
Like the one for Davis, this game ball might be a bit overdue, too. Greenwood has quietly produced a very solid senior season. Though he didn't turn in a ton of defensive numbers against Auburn, he made arguably the play of the game for Alabama's shutout, blocking a 39-yard field goal try before halftime to spurn the Tigers' best -- and only -- chance at scoring. Greenwood is a member of Alabama's group of nine scholarship seniors that long be celebrated as the leaders who helped turn the programs into what it has become this year. This victory meant the world to those seniors, each of whom had heard for years about Auburn's dominance in the state and witnessed those before them depart Alabama having not won an Iron Bowl.

Clemson Nick Walker; Terrence Cody

Tulane Javier Arenas; Rolando McClain

WKU Andre Smith; Justin Woodall

Arkansas Andre Smith; Rolando McClain

Georgia John Parker Wilson; Justin Woodall

Kentucky Glen Coffee; Rolando McClain

Ole Miss John Parker Wilson; Rashad Johnson

Tennessee Julio Jones; Dont'a Hightower

Ark. St. Mark Ingram; Rashad Johnson

LSU Julio Jones; Rashad Johnson

Miss. St. Javier Arenas; Rolando McClain

THREE UP

Nick Saban: Go ahead and give him national coach of the year honors now. No one -- at least at this level -- has done a better job turning a team. Greg McElroy: Notice Alabama's backup quarterback deliver a 34-yard touchdown strike in the final moments Saturday? You can be sure Tide coaches did. And McElroy is easily the clubhouse leader for the starting job in 2009.SEC title game hype: It is been a long time since the Tide has played a game with the attention and stakes that await in Atlanta.

THREE DOWN

Opposing coaches: Sylvester Croom's resignation yesterday makes three coaches that didn't last until December after losing to Alabama. Tuberville makes another that is firmly on the hot seat, while Les Miles and Mark Richt are getting there.Streaks: Alabama has killed plenty of them this year. None were more satisfying for to the home fans than this one.Margin for error: Each of the final two victories would be worth titles for Alabama. Losses, however, would mean missed opportunities that don't come along very often. And without question, the Tide is about to face its toughest test to date in the Gators.

NEXT UP

Reuters

Second-ranked Florida (11-1, 7-1 SEC) raced through the mud and rain to hammer rival Florida State 45-15 on Saturday and set up perhaps the biggest SEC title game in history. The Gators have won each of their past eight games by 28 points, scoring at least 40 points in the past seven. They did, however, suffer a kay injury while whipping the Seminoles.